layers | john bender

[07] "Rhiannon's wearing it..."

7. ᴀ ᴘʀᴇsᴇɴᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏɴ ꜰᴀᴍɪʟʏ

We finally had our lunch and I decided to sit next to Bender again. Andrew and Allison had came back with Cokes and I didn't want to pick another fight with Andrew so I got up. Bender noticed me sitting down besides him and he straightened up, taking his feet off the table and sitting up.

If anyone knew John Bender, they would know how terribly stubborn he is. No matter how many times you will push him away from you to make your point, he'll come back somehow. That's what he did, he gently grabbed my hand again and this time I didn't pull away. I let him trace 'I'm sorry' on my palm. As much as I wanted to keep up the fight, I gave in. I squeezed his hand and gave him a light smile.

We both pulled away so we could get out our lunches. I had anything that was far from special, just a regular sandwich except my father didn't support weight gaining, he made me take half a sandwich and an apple. Claire took a little shopping bag out, Bender and I looked over at her, confused.
"What's in there?" I asked her before Bender did, he seemed to be wondering the same.
"Guess. Where's yours and Bender's?" I pulled my pathetic half sandwich and apple up with a smile.
Bender looks at me before answering Claire's question. "Rhiannon's wearing it..." I looked at him and rolled my eyes. Claire and I both shared a look of disgust, mine being playful. "You're nauseating."

Claire continued to take out her expensive looking lunch as Bender and I watch. I then noticed Allison didn't have a coke, I threw her a coke and she caught it without even looking. "Nice catch, Al." I turned back around to Bender and Claire as she sets up what looks to be a sushi platter.
"What's that?" Bender seems confused, curious and disgusted all at the same time, I lean over and see that it is in fact sushi.
"Sushi."
"Sushi?"
I placed a hand on Bender's thigh, allowing him to look over at me. "Rice, raw fish and seaweed. It's nice actually." Again, Bender gave out a look of confusion and disgust wrapped in one, he then looked back at Claire. "You won't accept a guy's tongue in your mouth and you're gonna eat that?"
"Can I eat?" Claire turned back around to her food, closing the conversation with a bite of her salmon sushi.
"I don't know... give it a try." Bender mumbles before sitting back down and handing me one of the cokes he had next to him.
I looked over at Andrew who was pulling out sandwich after sandwich out of this big grocery bag, then a bag of chips, an apple, a banana, a bag of cookies followed by a carton of milk. I had tapped Bender when Andrew pulled out the first couple of sandwiches and we both looked at him the same way Bender looked at Claire minus the disgust, it was just pure confusion. Bender stayed staring at Andrew and I looked over to Al who's pop fizzed over. She slurped up the soda off the table and her finger. I gave her an amused look before turning back around.
"What's your problem?" Andrew spoke up at the sight of Bender looking at him. I would think he'd know seeing as he pulled out a lunch made for 4 kids but Bender ignored him and we both turned to face where Allison is sitting as she crunched on a sandwich of pixie stix, cap'n crunch and bread. We looked at each other yet again amused before I turned back to my lousy lunch.

Bender walked over to Brian and I turn to Claire.
"Hey Claire, want an apple?"
"Oh, no thanks. Maybe Andrew would." She pointed at him with her chopsticks and I saw him practically shoving the banana down his throat. He noticed me staring and stopped. "What do you want?" His voice was muffled by the food and I cringed at the sight. He finished the food in his mouth and looked back at me. I brought the apple up to his face and he nodded then took it. I move my sandwich to the side and opened up my coke. I looked over at Bender who pulled out a thermo from Brian's bag. I got up, Coke in hand and walked over to the chair on the right of Brian.
"Milk?" Brian shook his head at Bender who was placing the thermo on the table.
"Soup." Bender nodded and moved the thermo to the side. I sipped on my drink as I focused on the boys. Bender pulled out a juice box then went to pull something else out when Brian reached over and Bender slapped his hand away. Brian started rubbing his hand and told him that the juice box was apple juice.
"I can read!" Brian looked over at me and mouthed 'help me.' I couldn't help but laugh. Bender finally realized I was there and winked.
"PB&J with the crusts cut off. Well Brian, this is a very nutritious lunch, all the food groups are represented. Did your mom marry Mr. Rogers?" I covered my mouth, repressing a laugh and got up to stand in front of Brian and Bender. I looked over to Claire who was smiling at Andrew. Bender then stood up in the middle of the aisle.
"Here's my impression of life at big Bri's house." I raised my eyebrow at Bender and sat on the table.
"Son!" Bender changed his voice to a loud and 'friendly' voice to represent Brian's father. "Yeah, Dad?" This time it was a kiddie voice representing Bri. "How's your day, pal? Great Dad. How was yours?" This continued until he reached his impression of his dad telling his mother that their son is swell. Bender then says as the mother that their life is swell and acts out them kissing. Then he acts out the father punching the mother in the face and suddenly our smiles all fall. Andrew had enough and spoke up.
"Alright, what about your family?"
"Oh, mine?" I looked at Claire with worried eyes. She looks back at me confused and I look at Andrew. Andrew didn't notice me looking at him and continued looking at John.
"That's real easy!" Bender then stands up straight and points forward. I just knew this was going to be a shit show.